This invention relates generally to media systems and, more particularly, to media systems with enhanced media guidance support for future media attractions, and media planners.
An interactive media guidance application, such as an interactive television program guide, allows a user to tune to and display a wide array of media content that is available within a media system. Interactive media guidance applications may also allow users to perform numerous media guidance application functions relating to available content. For example, the user may schedule a recording of future programming (e.g., a series recording), set a reminder, or bookmark content of interest.
Some media guidance applications, however, are limited in their ability to perform media guidance application functions on future programming or coming attractions. For example, typical media guidance applications download an advance window of program schedule data and use this program schedule data to display program schedule listings for content available within the program schedule window (e.g., content available within the next fourteen days of available programming). This downloaded program schedule data allows the media guidance application to display program schedule listings, schedule recordings, and perform other related media guidance application functions on content identified in the schedule. Performing media guidance application functions on programming available outside the downloaded schedule window is severely limited because little or no information is generally available for this programming. In addition, any information that may be available is subject to frequent changes or revisions by the content or service provider, media vendor or distributor, or multiple service operator (MSO). This often results in incorrect or quickly outdated information.
It is also sometimes difficult for users of a user equipment device to determine what media guidance application functions are scheduled to be executed during any given time period on the user equipment device. For example, the user may have manually scheduled one or more recordings during a certain time period, and the interactive media guidance application may be configured to automatically record one or more programs (e.g., episodes of a season pass recording) during the same time period. The user may not be able to easily discern the number and type of media guidance application functions that are scheduled to be executed at any given time. Therefore, there is the possibility of unforeseen conflicts due to, for example, the number of available tuners in the user equipment device.